2.5.1 Microgrids

Microgrids are smart interconnected networks of loads and distributed energy resources that can work connected to or separated from the electricity grid. They integrate a series of intelligent functions and pervasive controls, in order to be self-consistent [9].

They are characterized by six main components:


Microgrids represent a gradual evolution from traditional grids to smart grids. Their control capabilities can ease grid operators' work, thanks to the local management of the system.

## 2.6 Service providers

Service providers deliver new and innovative services to producers, distributors, and customers. This domain is connected through communication flows to customer, operation, and market domains.

When delivering services, they preserve cybersecurity, reliability, stability, integrity, or safety of the electric power network.

Examples of these services are:

• Customer management: Managing relationships between customers and other power system's actors

Introductory Chapter: Open Problems and Enabling Methodologies for Smart Grids DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86496


## 2.7 Customer domain

Until the last decade, it was the least smart domain and the source of most of power outages and disturbances, due to the lack of monitoring and control capabilities. Smart grid transition is starting right from this domain, with a large deploy-

An evolving concept related to distributed generation, smart monitoring, and

Microgrids are smart interconnected networks of loads and distributed energy resources that can work connected to or separated from the electricity grid. They integrate a series of intelligent functions and pervasive controls, in order to be

• Power plants: they can be dispatchable plants, such as low-power, fossil-fuelbased generators that recover waste heat, i.e., combined heat and power (CHP)

• Energy storage: storage systems are required to fully exploit renewable energy

• Smart meters and sensors: to keep the system working reliably, a huge amount of data related to different electrical quantities is needed for proper control.

• Central management system: data collected from microgrid's elements must be processed to take appropriate decisions by a central energy management

Microgrids represent a gradual evolution from traditional grids to smart grids. Their control capabilities can ease grid operators' work, thanks to the local man-

Service providers deliver new and innovative services to producers, distributors, and customers. This domain is connected through communication flows to cus-

When delivering services, they preserve cybersecurity, reliability, stability,

• Customer management: Managing relationships between customers and other

• Communication infrastructure: to exchange information and commands

system that sends command messages to all controllable devices.

systems or renewable generators, such as wind and solar plants.

potential and to provide greater flexibility to the system.

• Smart loads: there can be residential, commercial, or industrial loads. In the case of microgrids, flexible and smart loads that can automatically control the absorbed power are preferred in order to better manage the

ment of smart systems, coupled with two-way communication links.

They are characterized by six main components:

controls are microgrids.

Research Trends and Challenges in Smart Grids

2.5.1 Microgrids

self-consistent [9].

whole system.

agement of the system.

2.6 Service providers

between different elements.

tomer, operation, and market domains.

Examples of these services are:

power system's actors

6

integrity, or safety of the electric power network.

Customer domain is what defines the goal of a smart grid. This domain can be divided into three subdomains, each of which collects different customers with similar behaviors and energy needs: industrial, residential, and commercial. It is electrically connected to the distribution domain.

With the introduction of distributed energy sources, the customer is evolving to a prosumer, i.e., it both produces and consumes energy, and it has an active role in power systems.

Most of energy efficiency policies are addressed to this domain, and automation is playing a big role in reshaping it.

Key and innovative concepts for the customers of the future are demand response, described earlier, vehicle to grid (V2G) and energy hubs.

#### 2.7.1 Vehicle to grid

Electrical vehicles are expecting to take an important place in vehicle market, due to the increasing focus on sustainability, energy supply security, and climate change. They have the potential to serve electric grid as dynamical energy storages. Since they are parked most of the time, they can remain connected to the grid [10].

Vehicle to grid is a concept that enables electrical vehicles to interact with power systems, in order to provide a series of functions to support the grid, such as peak power shaving, spinning reserve, voltage, and frequency regulation. Such opportunities are provided by electric vehicles through charging and discharging of their battery packs.

Their integration into power grids has to be carefully evaluated in order to avoid technical problems in distribution systems.

One of the most promising strategies for the integration of vehicle-to-grid technology is the aggregation of electrical vehicles to the virtual power plant or microgrid concepts, in such a way that energy flows are optimally controlled, taking into account power system's constraints, thus reducing eventual stress on the grid.

#### 2.7.2 Energy hubs

A novel concept, potentially introducing further flexibility into power systems, is that of energy hubs.

An energy hub is a unit where multiple energy carriers, such as natural gas and electric energy, can be converted, conditioned, and stored. A typical example of converter is the CHP generator that produces both electric and thermal energy, taking natural gas as input [11].

The main advantages of energy hubs are the increased reliability of supply and higher flexibility. Such concept would add another choice to the participants to demand response, maintaining the same absorbed power but switching the primary energy source from electrical energy coming from the grid to another carrier, such as natural gas. In that case the customer would get the benefits of the demand response incentives without renouncing the part of the absorbed power.

Strictly connected to the concept of energy hubs is the energy interconnector, that is, the integrated transportation of electrical, chemical, and thermal energy, in a single underground device.

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